ATLANTA – State Representatives Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta), Rhonda Burnough (D-Riverdale) and Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain) recently participated in the “Georgia Day of Action on Unemployment” on Thursday, June 24. The event was held in support of unemployed Georgians who lost their jobs due to no fault of their own, as well as those impacted by the governor’s decision to end additional federal Unemployment Insurance benefits on June 26.
“The decision of the governor and the actions of the Georgia Department of Labor continue to hurt Georgia workers,” said Rep. Schofield. “Bullying people to return to work without opening up these labor offices is simply irresponsible. Most Georgia workers are ready and willing to work when there is affordable child care, safe work places and livable wages for all. Let’s stop abusing our workers.”
In addition to participating in the “Georgia Day of Action on Unemployment,” these legislators also support the recent pop-up protests located outside of Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) offices in Atlanta, Cobb, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett and Carroll counties. Reps. Schofield, Burnough and Davis also stood in solidarity with the North Georgia Labor Council, unemployed workers and advocates by participating in a sleep-in outside a GDOL office in Atlanta, and they urge the GDOL to reopen its offices to the public.
“It is hard to believe that it has been over one year since we started fighting for Georgians to receive their unemployment insurance benefits,” said Rep. Burnough. “During this time, schools have opened but Georgia’s unemployment offices remain closed. Now these unemployed Georgians are going to lose their supplement from the federal government because our governor wants to force them to return to work for the same low wages.”
“It was worth sleeping outside overnight to bring attention to the Georgia Department of Labor’s need to improve services, open its doors and clear the backlog of valid claims,” said Rep. Davis. “It is shameful for Georgia to be the number one place to do business, yet be on record as being one of two states with the lowest state wages of $5.15 while paying out over 10 billion dollars in corporate welfare. I have drafted one piece of legislation to increase the state’s minimum wage to match the federal minimum wage. This is the minimum we should do to show respect for our workers along with increasing wages to a living wage.”
Representative Rhonda Burnough represents the citizens of District 77, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves on the Special Committee on Election Integrity and the Economic Development & Tourism, Governmental Affairs, Higher Education and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Viola Davis represents the citizens of District 87, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Natural Resources & Environment, Insurance, Interstate Cooperation and Science and Technology committees.
Representative Kim Schofield represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2017 and currently serves on the Health & Human Services, Interstate Cooperation, Information and Audits and Small Business Development committees.
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